Michigan

Former Detroit Pistons players Mateen Cleaves and Rick Mahorn share a laugh as Cleaves autographs the back of a fan's shirt in Flint during the General Motors Open House at the Flint Truck Assembly Plant.
(File | The Flint Journal)

FLINT, MI – The annual campaign for the United Way of Genesee County will mix basketballs and cars when Detroit Pistons legend Rick Mahorn makes an appearance at the campaign kickoff event during the Back to the Bricks car show on Friday.

Mahorn – a member of the 1989 NBA Championship Detroit Pistons and a radio analyst for the team – will recognize a “Game Changer” from the Flint area during the United Way campaign kickoff, which is scheduled for 3 p.m. Friday, Aug. 16, on the flat lot in downtown Flint.

Game Changers are what the United Way calls the everyday people making a difference within their communities through service, leadership and volunteerism. Through the Come Together Game Changers program, the Detroit Pistons are recognizing and rewarding these unsung heroes throughout the state of Michigan.

“We’re pleased to honor these Game Changers as part of the Back to the Bricks cruise,” said Dennis Sampier, Pistons community relations vice president. “The United Way provides us with the opportunity to highlight their dedicated volunteers, who often go unheralded for their contributions to their communities.”

Community service is also instrumental to the success of the United Way and its funded partners, said Jamie Gaskin, CEO of the United Way of Genesee County.

“The United Way is all about finding and leveraging resources to help agencies that provide critical services to people in need,” Gaskin said. “However, we can only be successful if we have volunteers to help support and deliver these services.”

Last year, the United Way of Genesee County wrapped its annual campaign in the Hometown Heroes theme. That theme continues with the 2013 campaign, which will be detailed during the kickoff event on Friday.

“Our hope is to increase awareness that a Hometown Hero is not just a person who devotes countless hours supporting a charity,” Gaskin said. “A Hometown Hero is anyone who gives of their time and money – even if it is just loose change – to help others.”

The United Way of Genesee County campaign kickoff is open to the public and is being hosted at General Motors’ display at the annual Back to the Bricks car show.

To learn more about the Detroit Pistons’ Come Together Game Changers program, visit www.pistons.com/gamechangers. To learn about and donate to the United Way of Genesee County, visit http://www.unitedwaygenesee.org/.